At the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, GreenSlate's production payroll services powered nine premieres—including 'Bedford Park,' writer-director Stephanie Ahn's emotionally charged feature debut that took home the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature.
'Bedford Park' tells the complicated, heart-wrenching story of two immigrants navigating adulthood. The Hollywood Reporter calls it "an absorbing experience worth seeking out," with standout performances from Moon Choi and Son Sukku as they explore an emotional past and develop a deep connection.
At Sundance, Carolina Groppa, host of Angle on Producers, sat down with ‘Bedford Park’ producer Gary Foster for a candid conversation about what it takes to get a deeply personal story from a first draft to a world premiere.
So what does it really take to get a story from first draft to a world premiere? Groppa and Foster discussed:
➡️ How strong relationships fuel long-term success
➡️ How indie financing often requires persistence and unconventional thinking
➡️ How a good producer protects a filmmaker's vision
➡️ What being a "career producer" actually means
Foster first met Ahn when she was an assistant editor on ‘My Old Lady,’ where she was quietly cutting scenes on her own. Impressed by Ahn’s work, Foster pushed to make her a co-editor. Their working relationship, and friendship, formed over long days in the cutting room. When Ahn called Foster with a script she’d written for ‘Bedford Park,’ he found himself deeply moved, and felt Foster “had to tell this movie,” even if it meant making it outside his usual comfort zone.
“And I said, Stephanie, you have to tell this movie. I don't know how you're going to do it. You've never directed a film before. Probably has to be made for under a million dollars. And it's not really my expertise, but I want to help you and support you.”
Foster and Ahn's seven-year journey from cutting room colleagues to producer-director partners shows how genuine creative relationships built on trust and mutual respect can sustain a project through years of challenges.
Foster underscored that producing 'Bedford Park' required constant negotiation between artistic ambition and practical constraints. He and his team struggled to secure significant film financing until actor Son Sukku suggested approaching Hyundai, with whom he had previously made a short film in South Korea. In independent film, financing solutions can often come from unexpected sources like this. Hyundai agreed to invest one million dollars, becoming the project’s first major financier without requiring a traditional product placement deal. This breakthrough opened the door to additional funding necessary to make the film at the level they felt it deserved.
When cost pressures mounted, Foster was adamant that any cuts should not “eviscerate” the script, arguing that a slight reduction can dramatically change the caliber and kind of film you are making after years of work. Instead, the team found creative solutions, such as shooting two lower‑cost pre‑production days to effectively stretch the schedule, and Foster himself jumping in to drive a car to protect the budget.
Over seven years, Foster and Ahn worked together and weathered difficult conversations about market realities and budget limitations, while trying to keep the heart of the film at the forefront of their minds.
Foster described his role with a metaphor he credits to his producer father:
Once you understand what the filmmaker needs, you turn your back like an offensive lineman and protect them from interference.
To Foster, that means being present – on set early, staying through wrap, knowing the crew by name, and remaining accessible when problems inevitably arise.
He stressed that a strong production culture, where people feel safe, heard, and aligned on a shared goal, directly affects the final film.
Asked to define what makes an exceptional producer, Foster framed it as a career-long commitment. For him, a producer must:
Believe deeply in the script and filmmaker, with a clear emotional connection and sense of purpose.
Stay involved end‑to‑end, from development and financing through production, post, and release.
Combine creativity with discipline, from cost reports to investor relations.
Build and protect culture, developing strong relationships.
“...Culture building, not just with a filmmaker but with an entire team, is hugely important to the process.”
No matter the budget, making a film is always hard – the one thing you can control is how you show up for one another along the way.
Being open to the evolution of the project and building real relationships along the way can carry the story through all the creative and business processes.
For GreenSlate, supporting conversations like this at Sundance is part of helping producers and filmmakers focus on what they do best: Telling stories that matter.
‘Bedford Park’ will be released publicly later this year. Learn more about ‘Bedford Park’ and GreenSlate’s eight other Sundance 2026 client projects.
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